Surfactant

Surfactant is naturally produced in our lungs. Its purpose is to keep the alveoli from collapsing or sticking together. In the premature infant their lungs do not produce surfactant because the lungs are the last thing to mature some where around 34 weeks. In the NICU we can give infants surfactant. They receive this at birth after being intubated and shortly after birth. This has helped many preterm babies survive and have their lungs mature quicker and not have stay intubated and on a ventilator as long.


Reference:
Merenstein, G.B., Gardner, S.L. (2006). Handbook of Neonatal Intensive Care (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier.